Top 10 cities with highest well-being

The Provo/Orem area ranks No. 4 of 190 metropolitan areas for highest overall well-being, according to a new Gallup and Healthways poll.
Gallup and Healthways interviewed at least 1,000 adults every day using questions that measured life evaluation, emotional and physical health, healthy behaviors and work environment. Provo/Orem was one of the four other university towns in the top five.
The study also ranked the states, and Utah finished fourth.
Here's a look at the top 10 towns.

10
Appleton, Wis.

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Score: 70.4

Appleton, Wis., is home to Lawrence University and "is a great place to live, work, play and raise a family," according to its website. It has just more than 78,000 people and was rated one of the best place to live in America by Money Magazine in 2010.

9
Fort Collins/Loveland, Colo.

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Score: 70.5

Fort Collins, Colo., is home to Colorado State University. It "offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a larger city," according to its website.

Loveland is south of Fort Collins and "has long been known as the 'Sweetheart City' because of its Valentine Remailing Program. Every year, thousands of valentines are sent to the city where volunteers stamp them for remailing to sweethearts worldwide," according to its website.

8
San Jose /Sunnyvale/Santa Clara, Calif.

Score: 70.6

San Jose, Calif., has "three hundred days of sunshine [which] means fun in the great outdoors is waiting for you!" It is also home to the San Jose Sharks, a professional hockey team.

Sunnyvale is one the major cities part of Silicon Valley and has a population just under 150,000.

Santa Clara hosts the headquarters and practice facilities of the San Francisco 49ers football team.

7
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/Goleta, Calif.

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Score: 70.6

Santa Barbara, Calif., is also called the American Riviera and is compared to a mini London or Buenos Aires on its website — just in a 20 square mile area. It is also home to the University of California.

Santa Maria boasts 27 parks and its mission is "to enrich the lives of the residents of Santa Maria and the surrounding areas," according to its website.

Goleta is a new city, founded in 2002. In 2008 it was named one of the best places to live by CNN Money, according to its website.

6
Honolulu, Hawaii

Score: 70.7

Honolulu, Hawaii, is the state capitol of Hawaii and is a tourist destination. "Honolulu has it all," according to its website, with historical landmarks, world-class beaches, entertainment, shopping and food.

Honolulu has sunshine through most of the year and temperatures rarely exceed 95 degrees.

5
Boulder, Colo.

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Score: 71.1

Boulder, Colo., is based right at the feet of the Rocky Mountains and has a population of just under 100,000 people. It houses the University of Colorado and was ranked the No. 1 best college town by livability.com, according to its website.

Boulder is also known for its outdoor activities, with its many biking, hiking and mountain climbing opportunities.

4
Provo/Orem, Utah

Jaren Wilkey, Deseret News archives

Score: 71.2

Provo-Orem Utah., is home to both Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University. Provo was listed by National Geographic Adventure Magazine's "where to live and play" as a cultural hub and is the third largest city in Utah, according to Provo's website.

Orem is south of Provo and in 2010 was ranked No. 5 on Forbes' list of best places to raise a family, according to its website.

3
Ann Arbor, Mich.

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Ann Arbor, Mich., is home to five colleges and universities. It was ranked No. 7 on the best cities to find a job list in 2011 by U.S. News World and Report, and No. 6 best city for an active retirement in 2011 by Forbes.

"Endless opportunities for recreation are available in Ann Arbor, which operates 157 parks with trails, golf, canoe liveries, tennis courts, athletic fields and more," according to Ann Arbor's website.

2
Charlottesville, Va.

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Score: 72.5

Charlottesville, Va., is celebrating its 250th birthday this year. It is the home of the University of Virginia, which is consistently listed as one of the top five universities in the country, according to Charlottesville's website. Charlottesville is also said to be a reader's and writer's utopia, with the annual Virginia Festival of the Book, and it is the hometown of writers such as William Faulkner, Edgar Allan Poe and John Grisham.

1
Lancaster, Pa.

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Score: 72.9

Lancaster, Pa., has a population of just under 60,000 and is one of the older towns in the United States, founded in 1730. "Lancaster is a place where historic preservation and a cutting-edge arts scene live and thrive side by side; a city of neighborhoods that are safe and welcoming; a city that values the cultural, ethnic and diverse lifestyles of our residents," according to Lancaster's city website.